Bayern's Supercup win against Sevilla: this squad will not be enough

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Manuel Neuer (center) lifts the European Supercup into the air

Photo: 

BERNADETT SZABO / AFP

The farewell present:

FC Bayern was only behind in a competitive game for the third time in 2020.

Sevilla FC led by a penalty from Lucas Ocampos (13th minute), despite a clear increase in chances, it was enough for the triple winner to equalize by Leon Goretzka (34th minute).

The European Supercup went into overtime - and then came Javi Martínez.

The Spaniard, already on his way to Athletic Bilbao, came on as a substitute in the 99th minute and headed in after a shot from David Alaba to win.

The result:

The Munich team won 2: 1 (1: 1, 1: 1) thanks to the Martínez goal and secured the least important of the European titles for the second time since 2013.

Read the match report here.

Hope the

"We want to bring hope."

That said Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin in the run-up to the Supercup.

In view of the corona situation in Budapest, it could hardly have been thicker.

The Hungarian capital is a risk area for the federal government, which is understandable given a seven-day incidence of over 100 infected people per 100,000 inhabitants.

16,000 spectators had been admitted by the Uefa, 15,180 had come.

First half:

After Ocampos' penalty, Bayern didn't need long to rule the game again.

They had more possession (65 percent), they played almost twice as many passes, they fired seven shots on goal.

And yet there was still the feeling of seeing a real Bayern opponent on the pitch again.

Sure, that was also the case in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, but otherwise rarely the case recently.

The compensation by Goretzka (34th) was then worth the entrance fee, which no one should have paid for infection protection: Thomas Müller fit Robert Lewandowski with his outside instep, the striker fit directly into the back area and Goretzka pushed in free-standing.

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Two Bayern fans in the Puskas Arena

Photo: 

Laszlo Balogh / POOL / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

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It will be an important part of sports coverage in the coming months: How many viewers will be admitted?

What is the current corona development at the venue?

And how do the fans behave in the stadiums?

The TV director at the Supercup was still thinking in pre-Corona times and showed the grandstands at both goals.

This swing did not last long, however, cheering fans without distance, the Uefa did not want to show.

In the center:

A lot has to come together in Spain before the champions are not Real Madrid or FC Barcelona.

They know that in Seville and have made a virtue out of it: the club has won the Europa League six times in this millennium.

The team is extremely experienced, tactically very flexible and hard to beat in European games.

Against Bayern, Sevilla managed to paralyze the center around Joshua Kimmich and Goretzka with a high willingness to run.

That was object lesson for the Bundesliga - and the key to the long balanced result.

Second half:

Bayern scored two goals - and yet it went into overtime.

The focus was on referee Anthony Taylor, who first whistled off Lewandowski's strikingly casual goal, the Pole had previously been offside with a toe (53rd).

It was Lewandowski who is said to have fouled former Schalke Sergio Escudero before Leroy Sané's goal (66th).

Greetings to Salihamidzic:

Hansi Flick will hardly admit it, but this game gives the Bayern coach enough arguments to emphatically repeat the wish for reinforcements from his sports director.

Thiago is in Liverpool, the ball magnet would have been the key player in a game like this.

Sevilla's tactic of hitting the center also worked because Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernández were two full-backs who are not known for their sprints behind the defensive chain.

In addition to Martínez, Corentin Tolisso, Alphonso Davies and Jérôme Boateng, there were only three experienced professionals on the bench.

With the abundance of games in the coming months, this roster will actually not be enough.

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Manuel Neuer was also the decisive man for Seville's entry Ivan Rakitic (r.)

Photo: 

Laszlo Balogh / AP

That is why Neuer is the top earner:

FC Bayern has been discussing for weeks whether David Alaba will extend his contract.

Presumably it's about money, maybe also about recognition.

The Bavarian argument: Manuel Neuer receives the most generous salary - and it should stay that way.

Now, goalkeepers rarely have the opportunity to distinguish themselves in everyday Bundesliga life.

That evening he had her.

In the 89th minute, Youssef En-Nesyri ran to Neuer alone, the keeper stood for a long time and steered the ball around the post.

In the extension it was again the Moroccan who appeared free in front of Neuer, again the Bayern captain retained the upper hand (92nd).

Icon: The mirror